Postcard from Bishkek

Today is Bastille Day, the French National Day.  It is officially known as La Fête Nationale (The National Celebration) but more commonly referred to as le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July).

For the record: The word Bastille is a French word which means “castle”, “stronghold”, or “bastion”.  When used with a definite article, (la in French and the in English), it refers to the fortress-prison in the center of Paris, on the Rue Saint-Antoine, which had often been used to incarcerate people jailed on the basis of lettres de cachet, (arbitrary royal indictments that could not be appealed), and had been known for holding political prisoners whose writings had displeased the royal government.  It gained a special place in history on July 14th, 1789, when a group of about a thousand French citizens besieged and stormed the building, in what was one of the pivotal moments in the start of the French Revolution.

Although it was seen as a symbol of absolute monarchy which housed opponents of the regime, on the day in question it housed just seven prisoners, and none of them were of any particular political importance: Four forgers, two “lunatics” and a “deviant”.  (Another “deviant”, the Marquis de Sade, had been an inmate but was transferred out of the Bastille some ten days earlier.)   Some 98 of the assailants, and only one of the defenders, died in the storming of the Bastille.

As with all pivotal historical events, the storming of the Bastille should not be seen in isolation.  It belongs in the stream of history with a context provided by a complex background including other events and influences which helped to shape this particular one and an aftermath which arose from it.

Ever since 2005, we have had our fair share of of pivotal historical events, which need to be seen within a continuum of events. Like those momentous events in 1789, those events can be extremely confusing as they wend their convoluted path through history … I always found it difficult to remember, yet alone navigate through them, the events up to and beyond the Reign of Terror.  How Robespierre was transformed from revolutionary hero to villain and the rise of the “little Corsican” who was going to hold Europe – and especially that nation of shopkeepers across La Manche – in fear and trepidation for so long.

Fortunately we seem to have escaped the worst excesses of those days, but events can be just as confusing – and hold just the same sort of promise of turning everything topsy turvy.

Take, for example, the proposal for the parliament to debate a vote of no confidence in the government.  Well, it seems that this has been postponed, if not actually abandoned, as there wasn’t enough pressure to force the issue … but, then again, there are rumours that members of the government are going to go anyway before the summer is over.

The other main issue throughout the week has been the continuing soap opera based around the Kumtor Gold Mine.  The Prime Minister”s visit last week saw yet more controversy as he made pointed criticism about environmental controls, allegedly improprieties in the purpose of fuel a few years ago … and so on.  The various agreements between the government and the company, ever since the first one was signed with President Akaev back in 1993, have come under scrutiny: Who signed which document? … and why?  Four special commissions  have been set up in order to carry out the investigations.

(For the record: It’s not just Kumtor that is coming under the microscope, however, as a comprehensive inspection of the activities of all gold mining companies  has been ordered – to check for the their compliance with environmental protection norms.)

Despite the detrimental effect that all this has had on the price of  Centerra shares, a company spokesman took a fairly neutral approach when talking to the press … adopting a sort of “we’ll wait and see” approach, saying, ”We have been part of the the Kyrgyz business environment for fifteen  years and will be a part for the next fifteen”.

That at least sounds hopeful.  As it happens, I think that there are indeed some signs to suggest that things may well be improving.  For example, whereas Kumtor’s share price has been plummeting, that of Chaarat Gold have risen on the news that “Kyrgyzstan looks set to adopt a clearer and more supportive mining law soon”, and their Tulkubash project is likely to start production in the second half of next year.   Mind you, it’s not yet a “done deal”.

 

As it happens, one of the hopeful signs I was referring to earlier is the approach being taken by officials in the fight against corruption.  As part of the campaign, the government have published a draft law which is out for consultation which would restrict the right of officials to privacy in telephone conversations and electronic communications.  It is proposed that, when they take up their appointments the officials should sign an agreement limiting their right to privacy.  I haven’t seen the document, so I am not sure how it would work, but some news reports suggest that it will “allow” the tapping of the phones of various officials.  I doubt that it means that “private” communications will automatically be made public … but they may be/will be exposed to scrutiny in the same way that telephone calls to banks and financial institutions may be recorded … “for training purposes”.   I suspect, however, that the politicians might discover that it’s a bit more complex than that … and they may come to rue the day … just as Tony Blair apparently regrets introducing the ”Freedom of Information Act”, describing it as one of his greatest mistakes while in office and calling it “utterly undermining of sensible government”.

Another interesting initiative under discussion in the campaign against corruption is a proposal that the tax authorities to examine not just our incomes, but also our expenses.  Any single expense involving a one-off payment of a million soms, (that’s just over USD20000 and about EUR16500), or two or more payments which add up to two million or more soms, will have to be declared.  That basically means the purchase of any apartment, (which have to be registered anyway), as well as the more substantial vehicles, (which have to be registered anyway), and these purchases will lead to inquiries about the source of the funds.

 

One of the things that always seems to suffer in the uncertainties of living in “interesting times” like the French Revolution or in the wake of two Kyrgyz revolutions, is Human Rights.   Over the years, Kyrgyzstan has faced criticism over the treatment of religious groups, journalists, and different ethnic groups.  For example, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,  began her recent visit to Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan and pointedly commented that nationalities poorly represented at various levels of official life – especially in the South.

As it happens, former President Otunbaeva has been awarded the degree of Commander in the French Legion of Honour in recognition if her “outstanding achievements in the protection of democracy and human rights.

One of the documents which has been fundamental to the development of the concept of human rights is arose out of the French Revolution: the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, which was promulgated in 1789.  As it happens, the Declaration recognized many rights as belonging to citizens (who could only be male); the French Revolution did not lead to an immediate recognition of women’s rights.  However, two years later, Olympe de Gouges published an analogous Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen is modeled on the original Declaration and according to some commentators appears to a parody of it.

This week the position of women and women’s rights has come under some considerable attention.

The practice of Ala Kaachu, (commonly known as bride kidnapping), has been getting a fair amount of attention.  As usual, this is mainly in the international media – including a scathing report on CNN – where a pundit suggested that it was not actually a tradition but dated back only about 50 or 60 years when, he claimed, it emerged as a protest against an increasing emphasis on women’s rights … There has also been some attention to the issue locally including a campaign against the practice and the fact that the Ombudsman has declared this as The Year Against Bride Kidnapping and Violence Against Women.  Perhaps more telling is the case of domestic or “spousal rape” which has hit the (international) headlines because 1) it has not only got to the courts, and 2) involves a member of the security services – who, (needless to say), denies the allegation.

Wednesday was World Population  Day and amongst the events to commemorate the day was a press conference when it was revealed that there are are about 140,000 pregnancies each year, and about 20,000 abortions – and it seems that something like 1000 of those involved girls between the ages of 12 and 17.  The levels of mortality are relatively high, 47.5 maternal deaths per 1000 and the infant mortality rate is 25.9.  It is planned to reduce these by 2015 to 15 and 10 respectively, but I am not sure how they plan to achieve this.

There were two other news stories concerned with health issues during the week; one positive and the other less so.  In one it was reported that scientists are investigating an outbreak of “Plague” among rodents in Issyk Kul.  The other was much more positive and reported the first Kidney transplant operation to be carried out in the country.

 

There have been a number of news stories during the week within an international context.  It seems for example that since independence, Kyrgyzstan has established bilateral relations with some 154 states of the world and  signed more than 7000 international agreements.  Just last year there were 40 bilateral and 234 multilateral agreements signed.

Following the revolution in 2010, the country has received almost 864 million dollars of foreign aid – which is almost double what it received in the previous nine years.  Despite this, Djoormat Otorbaev, the Vice Prime Minister responsible for economic issues, has repeated his earlier comments that Kyrgyzstan is “not asking for Finance, we are asking for advice on how to improve the economy and democracy”.   For those who believe in the Socratic method, he probably knows the answers already and just needs to have them drawn out by appropriate questioning.  His boss, Omurbek Babanov – the Prime Minister, has given some indicators as the week drew to a close that they do know the crucial issues … “Nationalization issues prevent investment, we must forget about nationalization”; “The combat with corruption is inevitable”; “Kyrgyzstan has turned into a social state”, spending money on “social support” that could instead be used for the development of the country.  That last one is probably a bit controversial … especially within the country where so many families are judged to be “below the poverty line” and where many of the expectations of the role of the government in social support have been inherited from the Soviet Union.

Then there was the “warning” issued Youth leader in the country to foreign ambassadors, (especially those of the US and Britain), not to “interfere” in the internal affairs of Kyrgyzstan.   Amongst the things which have raised their hackles are a visit to one of the gold mines in Talas where there have been problems with the local population where the American ambassador apparently “expressed skepticism about even the ghost of a hope to the possibility of resolving the conflict”.  (If it is true, then maybe she has joined the list of American ambassadors in this part of the world that have been making some “interesting” statements – either in public or in private.)  Apparently, during a meeting with some Uzbeks whilst on a visit to Osh, the British ambassador asked for information about “the infringements of their rights”, which was taken as evidence of a one sided approach being adopted by the diplomat.  The ambassadors have been put on notice … their activities will be monitored and anything deemed a violation of their status and powers will be “transmitted to the competent authorities”.

The question about a proposed increase in the rent of various Russian bases following 2014 when the agreements come up for renewal, seems to have been put on the back burner.  Maybe someone was kite-flying or speaking out of turn, but officials have said that it is not a priority for the Kyrgyz side.  There was talk only about an increase in regard of inflation and the main Air Force base at Kant was apparently excluded from the suggestion.

Russia has also been in the news in connection with its imminent membership of the WTO, (World Trade Organization), and there was a rather small item saying that the legislation establishing the Custom Union is going to be rewritten … well, I suppose that may have been inevitable, even though it was obvious from the outset that Russia and Kazakhstan had plans to join the global body.  What was interesting, however, was the claim that the revisions were to include some “revolutionary ideas”!

Apparently, there are more and more tourists lining up on the Kazakh border in order to come and spend their vacation on Lake Issyk Kul.  I am told that many of the lakeside resorts are already full.  Direct flights between Almaty and Tamchi airport on the norther shore of the lake have commenced for the season, and when I was up there at the start of the month there did seem to plenty of people on the beach, (although the guest house did have plenty of space).  That all sounds pretty promising – but I am not yet convinced that it’s going to be a bumper year.  Most of all, however, it worries me because it concentrates all the tourism in just one region of the country … meaning that only a few (both tourists and locals – service providers and local communities), get the benefits of opening up other beautiful parts of the country.

There’s a group of local people who won’t be heading for Issyk Kul in a fortnight’s time – but to London … Yes, sorry, I was hoping to to give the Olympics a miss – at least until they are actually on and there’s no way of escaping the fact.  Several people have asked me if I am going back for them … but I will leave than to the 36 or so – 14 sportsman (although some reports say 13 – they forgot Ilya Ignatiev who is taking part in the Laser class of the Sailing down in Weymouth) and the rest are officials … oh, yes … and the Prime Minister who is apparently going to the Opening session.

Finally, there has been yet another global survey, or index, published – this time the  Global Innovation Index – which has been published annually since 2007.  Anyway, this year Kyrgyzstan has been rated 107th out of 141 countries when it comes to innovation quite a way behind the top three: Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore … the cynic in me noted that they all began with an “S” and knowing the local tendency for renaming things, I wondered, (tougue in cheek, I hasten to add), if there was anything to be gained by renaming the country Syrgyzstan – after all the Naryn River is the head water of the Syr Darya.

Maybe, on the other hand, that will be just a bit too revolutionary …

 

 

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Postcard from Bishkek: the weekly postcard that I send out as an email also gets posted on the website ianbek.kg each week – and there are other postcards which don’t get sent out.  This week, for example, there has been a particularly French flavour to the postcards, with one describing a Kyrgyz Joan of Arc, and another looking at one of the influential characters of the French Revolution :

• High Rise - a brief look at the skyline of Bishkek is changing;
• Sir Janyl - One of the 40 or so Kyrgyz Minor Epics, Janyl Mirza is a little unusual in that it is about a heroine and is rooted in historical fact
• Big Brother is watching you - The increasing use of video surveillance in Bishkek;
• Okroshka - a light, refreshing and easy to make dish for hot summer days;
• The Ubiquitous sheep - It is hard to imagine the Kyrgyz without horses … and sheep ;
• Marat is one of the more popular names in here in Kyrgyzstan   but I wonder how many people who bear the name know after whom they are named?

It is now possible to follow me on Facebook, (where I have specific pages for Celestial Mountains and ianbek … and also links.kg and Kyrgyz Diary), and on twitter, (@Bishkekpostcard and @celestialMTC ).

 

Tags: Expat, Life_in_Kyrgyzstan, Weekly_Postcards